Living Dead Girl.

 As October creeps closer and closer, I feel myself growing both nostalgic and homesick. October is my month. Really, the only thing better than October is an October with a Friday the 13th. But this is only my second October away from Kentucky, which shouldn't seem like a big deal, but I'll tell you all why it is.

In 2006, my younger sister Laura got me to go down to the haunted house she had been working in for a few years that was run by a company called greenfactory. I was terrified, but my first day down there quickly changed that. I was in love with scaring the literal and figurative pee out of people, which, surprisingly, was possible considering I wasn't even one of the people behind a mask (it just goes to show you what kind of sissies there are out there!) That first year, I started out as a life guard (which is basically a tour guide that is stationed in one area to guide the group without walking through the whole bit with them), but after a few changes, I ended up being a victim. I was a girl lying on the floor in a sleeping bag who was told that if I could stay down in the haunted house all night long, I'd win a prize of one hundred dollars. When my flashlight turned off, the music started and so did the anticipation. After a few screams in the soundtrack, I flipped on a strobe light from my hiding spot where the group then saw Jason Voorhees slamming an identical sleeping bag against a metal fridge. When he was done with my body, he dropped it and turned his attention to the group. He grabs up his machete and charges. Just thinking about it gives me that same adrenaline rush I got every time I went through it.

The next October things changed a bit, and I'd rather not get into much other than a few of us went and helped out in what used to be our rival haunted house for a night or two. But October 2008 was probably my favorite.

I was a freshman in college that had no real social life in my college town. This worked out for me, though, because my best friend and roommate Kelsey (who had been doing the haunted houses, too) had the whole semester to dedicate to that haunted house. Every weekend and in some cases every night, we drove the 45 minutes home and tour guided our hearts and voices out. I'm not kidding either. We were told to scream, so we screamed. There were so many days where I would make a point not to talk in my classes to preserve my voice for that night. I don't think I missed one night and I think I was only late once. I was dedicated. On Halloween night, I even tour guided in heels all night long (I was dressed as a Moulin Rouge girl). I don't wear heels, so you can imagine how painful this was on my feet. I even won the Flashlight Award which meant I was one of the two tour guides of the year.

Unfortunately, last season, I mainly helped with behind the scenes stuff. I helped clean the building we were using—and by clean, I literally mean shoveling piles of wood and debris out of the way to form a basic walk way thanks to a ton of debris—and setting up the rooms with props and lighting. I was able to be a life guard for opening weekend, which was extremely great. I even got to be in the same room as Laura, who was a greenfactory original character. But, as you all may or may not know, my husband is a U.S. Marine so that next weekend, I flew out to California to be with him. I missed the haunted house greatly, but I was lucky enough to have been a part of it for nearly three months before I left.

As soon as the weather gets down in the 60s (which is randomly here in Colorado), I start yearning for the roar of a chainsaw, the piercing screams of some sissies, the late nights and, above all, the mix of Rob Zombie, screams and movie quotes put together by Mark as the soundtrack blaring in my ears to the point that I can't hear myself think.

If you haven't realized, greenfactory is my family away from my blood family (with the exception of Laura, obviously). I love them. So here's to you, greenfactory. Even though you all aren't having a haunted house this year, make sure you have a great haunted house season. I miss you guys.   

greenfactory's Misery Manor. 2009.

greenfactory's The End. 2006.

greenfactory's Misery Manor tour guides. 2008.

greenfactory's Misery Manor. 2009.